Comments on: Mug and French Press Jacket

By: Valerie

Valerie — Sun, 08 Feb 2009 18:05:24 +0000

I’m having a little trouble with the transition into the smocking pattern. I’ve turned to the WS in order to bind off the 6 stitches for the handle. But then I don’t know where to go from there. At this point I have 74 stitches (including the one left on the right needle from the BO). That’s not a multiple of 18 (for the stitch pattern). I can’t wrap my head around how that’s going to work. If I start with the slip one, purl one, it also won’t line up with the ribbing. Am I missing something? Otherwise the pattern’s real clear. And I love the look–thanks for making it available! Can you clarify this for me? Thanks!

By: Sheila

Sheila — Sun, 20 Jan 2008 01:29:51 +0000

This is a fantastic idea! And I love knitting cables!

By: mk

mk — Fri, 10 Aug 2007 14:16:54 +0000

Oops, Lizzie, I just caught an error in my response – the slipped sts should be worked as they are presented – slip knit stitches knitwise, purl stitches purlwise. That also means that WS rows should be “beg sl1, k1, end k2.” AND the way that’s written is needlessly confusing – works fine scribbled on a rough draft of the pattern shoved into my project bag, not so great for someone who is not me. I’ve rewritten it to hopefully make it less confusing.

By: mk

mk — Fri, 10 Aug 2007 14:07:53 +0000

Lizzie, you’ve got it! Not dumb questions at all – trying to explain knitting with words is tricky stuff.
1) In this case, “wrong side” means the side that will be on the inside of the jacket, pressed against the mug. The base is worked in the round, but the sides are knit flat. I included the “wrong side” note, which is in the original stitch pattern instructions, partly because I did a chart of the stitch and it’s important to know what the right side/wrong side (public side/private side) of the stitch pattern is so that the knitter knows if they read that row from left to right or from right to left.
2) Yes, “sl 1, p1″ replaces the “p2″ of the stitch pattern. Slipping the first stitch of each row results in a smooth edge, so you don’t have to go back and do any finishing work (like a hem or crocheted edging). I should have noted that you will slip that first stitch purlwise (that is, you insert the needle as if to purl, with the yarn held in front). I’ll add that in to the pattern now.

By: Lizzie

Lizzie — Fri, 10 Aug 2007 10:05:49 +0000

I have a few questions, and it may be really dumb:
When the smocking pattern begins, row 1 of the stitch pattern says “wrong side.” Does this mean that we should turn the work so we’re stitching the wrong side?
And then you write “work smocking pattern beg s1, p1, ending p2.” Does this mean that the “sl1, p1″ replaces the “p2″ of the stitch pattern? Or do we “sl1, p1″ and then use the stitches in the pattern?
Thanks!
Lizzie

By: KC

KC — Thu, 02 Aug 2007 04:45:24 +0000

Great! Thanks! Can’t wait to try it!

By: mk

mk — Wed, 01 Aug 2007 23:35:31 +0000

KC, if you measure the cup you want to cozy, you can use a stitch count that is a multiple of 8 (if you are doing this in the round), or, if you want to knit it flat, a stitch count that is a multiple of 8, +2 (e.g. 18, 34, or 42). The ribbing and smocking are stretchy, so I’d guess that if you measured the narrow part of the cup and the wide part of the cup, then got an average of the two, you’d be able to knit a sleeve that would fit most of the cup. If you want the cozy to have a base, knit the base of the cozy to fit the base of the cup. Using the pattern, you’ll have a multiple of 8 sts in each round of the base, so you could just start working the smocking stitch pattern after the base is completed. It might not stretch quite enough to fit around as you go up the cup, though – with some graph paper and a pencil, you could work out where to place increases and adjust the stitch pattern.
Or, if you crochet, you could try out my Crochet 16 oz. Coffee Cup Cozy pattern (check the left sidebar under “Free Patterns”). Hope that helps!

By: KC

KC — Wed, 01 Aug 2007 11:51:33 +0000

Hi. Just wondering how you would adjust this pattern to fit a cup (say starbucks or the like). Perhaps in the round? This is a great pattern! I would love to use this instead of the cardboard sleeves they give you. Thanks.

By: HH

HH — Wed, 18 Jul 2007 11:57:39 +0000

Figures I find another Craftster-knitter in Hawaii about 6 weeks before I move back to the mainland, ha! Thanks for posting the pattern. It is truly a challenge to find projects for oneself living here, and the mug cozy seems perfect! Aloha and mahalo from Kailua :)

By: Jes Deamer

Jes Deamer — Thu, 12 Jul 2007 12:32:25 +0000

EEp! Any good smocking tutorials? My brain is having a hard time wrapping around the smock…